Hamadeh Wonders Why Cabinet Refrains from Meeting

Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh wondered in a statement on Thursday about the reasons that make the cabinet refrain from holding sessions to tackle pressing issues, while the committees meet to discuss a new electoral law for the upcoming polls, the National News Agency reported.

“Why does not the cabinet meet to tackle the people's livelihood issues and ease the country's facilities, meanwhile many committees are working and conducting communications to reach agreement over a new electoral law?" NNA quoted Hamadeh as asking.

The cabinet convened on April 10 to look into a new parliamentary electoral law system to govern Lebanon's upcoming polls and agreed on the formation of a ministerial committee that will devise a new draft law. The committee met only once.

The country faces a critical challenge and the fate of its parliamentary elections hinge on a legislative session scheduled for May 15.

Twenty-two days separate Lebanon from the end of a one month time period, in accordance with a presidential decree issued by President Michel Aoun on April 12 that suspended the parliament.

The May 15 parliament meeting is set to determine the fate of Lebanon's electoral law and the upcoming polls.

On April 12, Aoun invoked his constitutional powers and adjourned the parliament for one month to avoid a new extension of the parliament’s term.

Lebanon's lawmakers were set to vote in Parliament the next day to postpone national elections and extend their term for a third time since 2013.

Aoun justified the adjournment to give legislators time to craft a new election law and hold elections as quickly as possible.

Lebanon's political parties say it is time to scrap the country's 1960 voting law that allocates seats by religious sect, but disagree over what system should replace it.